USA TODAY Sports writer Erick Smith released his updated bowl projections for the 2024 college football season on Monday, and the Blue Devils stayed in a familiar spot against a familiar opponent.
Smith slated Duke in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the same slot and opponent that [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and his team have drawn in the past several editions of Smith’s projections.
The Blue Devils put together one of their most productive (and dramatic) performances against the Virginia Tech Hokies in Week 13. Fifth-year wideout Eli Pancol ended the first two offensive drives with 86-yard and 77-yard touchdown receptions en route to an 188-yard game, earning him ACC Receiver of the Week honors, and quarterback Maalik Murphy broke a school record with his 25th passing touchdown of the season.
Despite four turnovers, Duke held on for a 31-28 victory over the Hokies to clinch its third straight eight-win season.
Over in the Big Ten, the Golden Gophers nearly upset the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday, but the one-point loss left Minnesota just 6-5 for the season.
With a litany of SEC playoff hopefuls taking a hit over the weekend, Smith included a pair of ACC schools in his 12-team playoff bracket. The Miami Hurricanes took the first-round bye as conference champions, but the SMU Mustangs earned one of the remaining at-large bids.